1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire bonding method and apparatus and more particularly to a wire clamper driving method and apparatus.
2. Prior Art
One of conventionally known wire clampers that clamp bonding wires is comprised of an immovable member and a movable member. The movable member is moved by an electromagnet so that the wire clamper is opened and closed, as described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-7443. In such a wire clamper, a certain minimum amount of electric power is required to drive the movable member of the wire clamper. An electric power is also required to keep clamping the bonding wire.
In the above-described prior art the wire is pressed against the immovable member by a movable member that is moved by a predetermined amount of electric power which is necessary to obtain the driving force and the clamping force of the movable member. Therefore, the drawback is that clamping scars are formed on the wire since the movable member strikes the wire before it clamps the wire.